Messages - the dude abides

I think we can go far in Europe. Against top teams, it's a right old scrap....and anybodys' game.

Indeed, if the football authorities can be convinced to change games to last only 45 minutes - and/or allow more substitutes to be used, we can win everything every year.

We bossed the first half - and Spurs bossed the second. Same old story, we ran out of puff.

Really disappointed about the diving. One of their lads got booked. And the two penalties given, were not only offside, but both were simulations. IMHO

The linesman and ref had poor games. I thought we were lucky to even be given a kick-off. First half, some of their tackles were crazy....but not a card in sight. Poor day at the office for the officials.

It was either last Summer or this Summer to let Coutinho go. To let him go mid-season without having players lined up to replace his effect was sheer stupidity.

looked at playing Salah and Mane as the two attackers (free to roam all across the front line, not just play as more conventional strikers/forwards, and then used Bobby in behind as a creator who would play both in behind Mane and Salah, but also go beyond into a more traditional central striker's position, giving us maximum fluidity

agreed re timing of Coutinho's move. Clearly he must have been very pizzed to not have got the move last summer - and it was close to downing tools time IMHO That's what it feels like from the outside looking on.

Re Salah and Mane as our two strikers. I have been saying the same here since the start of the season - I felt last year, that Mane could be developed into a great striker (just needs more confidence). And when I saw Salah this season, I felt Mane and Salah could be a modern Toshack/Keegan partnership.

To me, as much as I love him, Bobby Firmino is not your typical english striker.

Let's hope Can manages to string another decent (at least, preferably better) performance together for Sunday's visit of Spurs - that will be a much bigger test.

on the topic of Can - and this applies to any player who runs his contract down.

From today's papers.

José Mourinho says he has told Marouane Fellaini to “shut up” and accept Manchester United’s contract offer before the seriousness of the midfielder’s knee injury is diagnosed.

The manager was smiling as he recounted the conversation but behind his jokingly delivered line to Fellaini appeared to lie a serious point. Fellaini’s deal ends on 1 July and the 30-year-old wants a sizeable increase on a salary thought to be around £120,000 a week. He suffered a knee problem that limited him to seven minutes as a substitute in Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat away to Tottenham.

“I told him yesterday: ‘Sign the contract and shut up,’” said Mourinho. “I told him: ‘Don’t gamble too much. Sign the contract before you know the extent of the injury.’

I have always felt that players are playing Russian Roulette when running contracts down.

So everyone above us, and Arsenal and Spurs are all strengthening their squads, meanwhile we're letting another potential supply of goals, in Sturridge, go out on loan to WBA.

Couldn't we at least try dropping Firmino deeper and playing Sturridge through the middle, and let him concentrate on doing what he's there to do, and that's score goals. We'd still get the work rate from Bobby in a deeper position anyway, and he's more creative and hardworking than any of our bunch of 'meh' midfielders.

I have to say that I am glad to see Dan gone. Injury prone, often a yard off the pace, and a one-trick pony in recent years (I can always see him tee-ing up the same shot every opportunity....so predictable).

I agree, we should be playing further back - and thus allowing our attacking speed merchants lots of room to work in.

Suck the opposition out - and sucker punch them.

But NO, Mr Klopp would rather have every red player in the opposition half....and learns nothing, and keeps doing the same flawed plan, game after game, season after season. Clueless.

It's systemic. The way we play and the way we train. The entire defensive side of the game, outside of 'pressing' does not look as though it's remotely practiced at all. The players are clueless as to how to go about any of it. The simplest basics of defending are lacking.

Also, what is the function of our midfield three? What are the supposed individual strengths of any of our midfielders and what are they supposedly adding to the sum of the way we're supposed to be playing in Klopp's mind?

totally agree.

our boss is clueless. I don't think we train much on the defensive side of things.

jumpers for goalposts - everybody push forward, is the mantra......outscore the opposition!

Little wonder he was caught on at Dortmund after 2 or 3 years. I suspect he must have inherited a great defence at Dortmund.

And given that we hit a bad spell every mid season (and have many injuries), I suspect our lads are knackered by December each season. Is it any coincidence that we have gone out of the FA Cup each season at the 4th round?

It's OK Klopp laying into the defenders (again), but it happens and has happened, too many times during his tenure to be down to the players and the players alone.

After this length of time you have to wonder why the same problem is still there, and to the same degree.

Having decided that Klarius is no1, why does he need to be rested after playing just two league games?

I said many times that Van Dyke was not the solution. Our defensive woes are not primarily personnel-based. The primary problem is the smiley-one-dimensional-clueless-arrogant-idiot that we have sitting in the dugout.

Klopp has no idea (nor interest) in balance or game management.

In my lifetime, I have never known a side which, even when two or three goals ahead, with 15 minutes to play, will often draw or lose.

The fact this happens repeatedly, is beyond embarrassing.

If I were the owners or in the boardroom, I would be asking some very serious questions of Klopp. Imagine what a top manager could be doing with all the resources that Klopp has been given.

I'd much prefer to see Danny Ward given a shot, as he's the only unknown performer. He may turn out to be our version of Burnley's Nick Pope.

I just don't see what Karius has to offer - there's no hint of a great keeper within nearly ready to burst out and flourish.

yes, of the two, Mignolet (for me) is much better than Klarius.

maybe Mignolet's mistake versus Arsenal, was the final straw for Klopp. But why bite off your hand to spite your face. Klarius is bog standard. He is not good enough, at present, for a top club.....and may never be. He just seems too young, too lightweight.....he never gets you out of a fix. The City goal was so predictable. A top keeper saves the majority of those types of shots. But you just know that Klarius never will get you out of a hold.

I'd bring in a top keeper in the summer, and sell both Mignolet and Klarius. And make Danny Ward my number two (if he accepts that role).

One thing that's becoming so clear is that Klopp only buys a piece of the jigsaw. He doesn't want any one piece to be the bulk of the picture, but 'a part'. The collective will always produce more than any one individual ever could.

yes, unlike Rodgers who brought in the second or third best player, for a specific position.......Klopp clearly will bide his time and wait til the player he wants is available.

I guess the difference is, Klopp's pulling power.

Rodgers could have waited til the cow's came home, and still wouldn't have attracted top players to Liverpool.

When you bring in temporary make-do's, you then have the problem of moving them on, if/when your main target/upgrade becomes available.

though we got to see the best of Liverpool and the worst of Liverpool.

if Klopp knew a damn thing about defending/balance, he would be the best in the business.

even at 4-3, in injury time, rather than send Milner and his pals into the corner to hold the ball up, he is encouraging them forward.

was surprised to see Klarius start.....and as I predicted to friends here, he would make a mess-up. Mind you, depsite SKy not mentioning it, Gomez also was woeful......again he loses diagonal balls mid-flight. A bit of a problem if you're a defender.

But great result....9 minutes of fantastic closing down/pressing/counter attacking. Wolrd class goals from Firminho and Salah.....and Mane's and the Ox's were darn good too!

Reports in Portugal today suggest Liverpool are looking closely at Sporting Lisbon's 22-year-old winger, Gelson Martins. He has a release clause of €60million, but we are looking to pay just half of that amount.....and are willing to offer his a wage fives times what he earns now.

Apparently Martins was a Liverpool transfer target in the summer and at one stage looked to be an alternative to Salah when negotiations with Roma hit a roadblock.

It now appears as though the Portuguese winger wasn’t an alternative to the Egyptian forward but was actually targeted to supplement his arrival.

I think Klopp understands that you don't necessarily replace 'certain' players, you replace or improve on 'their effect'.

Only when Coutinho didn't play in the front three does our midfield have real 'creativity', especially if Lallana is missing. Even then, it's been more a front four rather than Coutinho really playing in midfield.

Mane now gets the chance to play most games and rediscover his top form, and as Lallana's fitness and match touch comes back, we have two things to help fill the gap in a slightly different way.Oxlade-Chamberlain is gradually have more impact, and as that develops, it will bring something additional.

Coutinho's a pretty unique player, hence Barca wanting him above others. We can adapt and develop, rather than try to replicate. After all, how many trophies did the 'collective' win with Coutinho in it?

that final point, is something that I have been thinking about too.

How often has Phil ever even looked like leading us to a league title, or a cup.

Suarez was the guy who nearly hauled us to the title a few years back. But Phil has never been in that class.

I will always remember him scoring a great dinked goal at Old Trafford the other season, to put the UEFA Cup two-legged tie to bed just before half time. That will be my favourite moment of Phil's......as well as his great free-kicks.

As you say, it's not a case of replacing like-with-like. Every player brings their own attributes and personality to a team.

Like you, I would like to see creativity added to our midfield. And also a holding midfielder too, to protect the defence......not forgetting a new keeper.

apart from woeful commentators (endless meaningless data and drivel), I rarely ever get pissed at coverage of a game. But I found the BBC's coverage of this game as cringeworthy (as you refer to it).

As a public broadcaster, the BBC was well below par. I am surprised that there has not been a lot of complaints.

I don't understand why the likes of Holgate and Rooney get an easy ride from punditry team, while Firminhio (and in many other games, Lovren) and our lads get crucified.

I am a big believer in equality. And I think we need to see highly paid broadcasters confronted.

The half-time (and full-time) allegations against the Brazilian were out of order. And the dig at the scouser on benefits was beyond contempt. If the same was said about a foreign citizen, or a person of colour, the pundit would be finished. I thought Murphy was better than that.

That little punditry group are far too smug and casual. They are far too cosy and familiar with their surroundings. I'd break it up and bring in fresh faces.